Illinois governor J.B. Priztker's daily coronavirus press conferences are typically reserved for health care and economic updates, but on Thursday afternoon, the Bears found their way into the discussion:
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Though disheartening, it's not particularly surprising to hear that Soldier Field will more than likely not host fans during games this season. Testing capacity in the United States is still far behind what's needed to reopen leagues altogether, and that's before anyone even thinks about cramming 65,000+ back into seats six inches from each other.
Pritzker unveiled his 'Restore Illinois' plan earlier in the week, and under the current outline, "large events" like Bears games won't be permitted until the 5th and final 'phase' of reopening, when "testing, tracing and treatment are widely available throughout the state" and/or "a vaccine is developed to prevent additional spread of COVID-19, a treatment option is readily available that ensures health care capacity is no longer a concern." Soldier Field lies in Cook County's jurisdiction, which only just entered Phase 2 of the 5-Phase plan.